Burglarproof window catch



Feb; 4, 1947.

J. C. FITZGERALD RRRRRRRRRRR or* wINDow CATCH NNNNNN OR J.' cFg'eraZd BY i: i t: Q :E

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 41947 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE BURGLARPROOF WINDOW VCATCH l .Johnma Fitzgerald, Jackson, Calif. ApplicationlSeptember 23, 1944, Serial No. 555,466 ijclaims. (C1. 292-342) This invention relates to window catches for use on windows of the common sash type such as are extensively used in residences.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a catch device to supplementthe ordinary catch which is `so constructed that it will., effectively resist jimmying of the window by a burglar so that such a person cannot enter the house without actually breaking the glass or otherwise making an excessive noise. The device is constructed so that the window may be opened by the householder a certain distance, as in a bedroom, without the window being capable of being opened further fromthe outside, but without inl terfering with such further opening of the window from the inside.

A further` object is `tto arrange the deviceV so that it will function automatically to prevent the window being opened as soon as it is closed or lowered beyond the catch point without any attention on the part of the householder being necessary. A house whose windows are equipped with my catch devices will therefore be reasonably secure against burglary by entrance effectedl through the Windows-the usual course pursued by criminals of that character, who are seldom expert in lock picking and rely on ripping out or jimmying the ordinarily weak window catches in order to effect their entrance. The device is also an automatic safeguard against the results of carelessness on the part of the householder in forgetting to engage the catches at y night or on leaving the house, as is frequently the case. i

A further object of the invention is to produce `a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly eliective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish bymeans of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. l is a perspective View of my improved catch device as installed and in operation to hold the windows against relative opening movement.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the catch cam positioned to allow the windows to be fully opened relative to each other..

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section showing the cam in the position occupied in Fig, l.

Fig. 4 is a similar View of the structure showing the cam in the position occupied in Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the .numeral l `denotes in general the upper window sash and 2 the lower window sash, the latter being inwardly of the upper window, as usual.

The catch structure comprises a rectangular plate 3 adapted to be mounted on the face of `and inside one of the side rails oi the upper window sash. rloward its upper end the `plate has a vertical slot 4 from around the edges of which abox 5 projects, the window sash being recessed to receive the box. The box is permanently secured to the plate in any suitable manner so as to form a unit therewith. Arranged in connection with the box and plate is a dog-cam 6 having a width slightly less than that of the slot. This .cam is flat on one side and at one end of the flat `side is provided with a boss l projecting into the bottom of the slot and box and pivoted in connection with the box by a cross pin 8. This pin` is positioned so that when the cam is hanging down the fiat side engages the outside ofthe plate below the slot.

The opposite side of the cam divergesv at an acute angle fromthe flat side, from `theend of said side opposite the boss, so as to form a wedge for engagement with the top of theinner window sash, as shown in Fig. -3. To-prevent .the .cam

. biting into the wood a Contact strip 9 ispreferably mounted on the outside of said sash at `the top, as shown. The length of the cam from the pivot pin to its opposite tapered end is slightly less-than the height of the slot and box so that when the cam is tured upwardly it will t into the box; the depth of the latter being sufcient to wholly receive the cam when it is thus positioned. QA spring l0 mountedlin the back of the box engages the cam when it is thus fully enclosed in the box and tends to force the same out from such enclosed `position or to one where it may drop of itself to its outer depending position.

It will thus .be seen that when the cam is in a depending position it forms a positive stop against relative opening movement between the windows, and any great pressure applied to the windows to open the same merely jams them all the tighter against the sides of their guide grooves in the window casing. When it is desired to open .the windows past the catch point the cam is raised by the finger to a substantially horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the lower window on being raised engages the atside of the cam and turns the same without resistance' into the box, as shown in Fig. 4, the outer tapered side of the lower window sash.

The cam will remain in that position until with the lowering of the window the top of the inner window sash passes below the upper end of the cam, whereupon the-cam starts to swing out and follows up the lowering movement of the window. It will continue -to thus swing until the window has been lowered to an extent sufficient to enable the cam to lie flat against the plate, as shown in Figs. 1 `.and 3. Said cam is then of coursein position to engage the inner window and prevent reopening of the same.

The catch device may be mounted on the upper window in position to permit some opening of either window, or it may be mounted near the bottom so as to take'the place of the usual catch, if desired. In the former case the cam is made of non-magnetic metal so as to prevent the cam being raised -to a non-functioning position from the outside by means of a magnet attached to a cord and let down through the opening at the top of the window.

As a further safeguard against lifting of the camfrom the outside, the plate 3, below and in vertical alinement with the cam, is provided with a' shallow groove l I, in which the hat side of the cam projects when in a depending condition. This prevents a thin wire or other element being possibly projected between the plate and cam,

and by means of which the latter could be lifted from is wedge forming position.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as y set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction-of the device,

' still in practice such deviations from such detail maybe resorted to as do not form a departure 'from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

lHaving thus described my invention what I y,claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is.:

1. A latch for window sash, such latch comprising a box adapted to be recessed in an upper sash of a window, a .cam pivoted at one end in the lower portion of the box, one side of the cam being curved and the other side being at the free ends of the sides of the cam meeting to form a wedge the curved side of the cam facing the back of the .box when the cam is in the box and the at side facing out, a. spring xed in the box and adapted to be under tension and ride the curved side-of the cam when the latter is in the box, whereby when a lower sash is moved past a latch in `an upper sash such lower sash may be Vmade to ride the flat side of the cam and push the cam into the box and place the spring under tension so thatwhen the lower sash is moved clear of the latch the spring will then automat- 4 ically press the cam out of the box and permit it to drop downward with the il-at side against the upper sash, whereupon the cam will provide a. wedge lock against relative movement of the upper and lower sash.

2. A latch for window sash, such latch comprising a box, a lcam, one side of which cam is at and the other side of which diverges from the flat side at an acute angle to forma wedge, a boss at the wide end of the cam projecting at substantially right angles to the flat side thereof and projecting into the box and pivoted therein adjacent the bottom of the box in such position that the cam may hang downwardly from the box with the flat side of the cam at substantially right angles to the bottom of the box, the cam being adapted to be received in the .box when turned upwardly on its pivot.

3. A device as in claim 2 including a spring mounted in the box and adapted to ride the cam and be placed under tension when the cam is moved in-to the box.

4. As an article of manufacture a window catch which comprises a plate provided with a slot adjacent its upper end, a box formed on the plate and having an open side in register with the slot, a wedge shaped carn having a curved side and a flat side opposite to the curved side such flat and curved sides converging to form the apex of the wedge, a boss on the wide end of the cam projecting at substantially right angles to the flat side of the cam, the boss being pivotally mounted in the box at the lower end thereof in such relative position thereto thai'l when the cam is projected from the box it will hang by gravity from such pivot point with its flat face against the plate, the box being of such a depth that the cam may ,be swung on such pivot to a vertically disposed position in the box with its flat side lying in a plane substantially parallel with the open side of the box, and a flat curved spring in the box lagainst whichthe curved side of the cam frictionally engages as the cam Vis moved into the box.

JOHN C. FITZGERALD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

